Cleantech
74% Think Shifting to Clean Energy Will Boost Economy

Coal and oil are still the world’s main energy sources, but there’s massive public support for a cleaner energy future. According to a new survey, people across all ages, political standpoints, education and geographies are in favour of a shift to ‘green’ energy, and three out of four believe that it will boost their country’s economy.

The backing for renewable energy is clear: In the largest survey of attitudes on the subject* ever conducted, 82 percent favour a change from black to green energy.

According to the Green Energy Barometer, conducted by Edelman Intelligence on behalf of Danish energy giant Ørsted, and based on interviews with more than 26,000 people across 13 countries, three out of four (74 percent) even think that if their country builds and produces more renewable energy, it will boost economic growth.

And there’s every reason to go full speed ahead, says Ørsted CEO Henrik Poulsen: “We’re at a tipping point. Green energy has become cheaper than black, and the newly released Green Energy Barometer shows an overwhelming public support for a shift from black to green. We owe it to the planet and to future generations to transform our energy systems from black to green. And with the economics and public opinion now supporting a shift to renewable energy, there’s no reason not to speed up the transformation.”

The survey is released by the energy company Ørsted, headquartered in Denmark. Over the past ten years, the company has transformed from one of the most coal- and oil-intensive European utilities to the largest supplier of clean energy in Europe. By deciding to stop using coal, selling its oil and gas production and building the world’s largest offshore wind business, the company is today dedicated to scaling access to clean energy. During the last six years, Ørsted has helped reduce the cost of offshore wind power by 63 percent; by 2023, it will have reduced its carbon emissions by 96 percent compared to 2006.